Zillow is a popular Internet marketer that "gives" "z-estimates" which purport to calculate the sales value of every home in the United States. Zillow tries to achieve this this feat by using a fancy algorithm that compares factors which impact property values, but here's a typical story I have heard from property sellers in Northern Virginia:

Our home was recently appraised for 650K. Zillow estimates the value at 521K. The estimate makes us one of the lowest priced homes in the subdivision. We have all upgrades in our home and it is the largest of the homes that were originally built in this subdivision. It was appraised at 750K before 2009. Our home has a basement. Neighbors do not have basement on one side and you appraised higher. Really? -- James E. - Fort Hunt

If you search the web for the phrase "Can I trust Zillow?" or "Can I trust Z-Estimates" you'll find many testimonials by angry homeowners and leery property buyers who have discovered the hard way just out inaccurate Zillow's pricing can be. Many people in Cleveland_heights claim that Zillow's estimates have a margin of error of approximately 20%. Even if we assume the margin of error is only 10%, in Northern Virginia that means a "z-estimate" is only within $50,000 of the actual sales value. If the margin of error is an astounding 5% that means that a z-estimate is only within $25,000 of the asking price.

Yet Zillow still remains popular with some people. Property owners and property shoppers should understand that there is not a single community in Cleveland_heights where either a bank or tax collector uses Zillow for tax assessment or appraisals. Our expert advice is to take "valuations" from any website at arm’s length. Putting too much reliance into a computer logarithm can cause a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

Call Nesbitt Realty today for a free comparative market analysis of your property's value. We promise that a computer won't set the sales value. Instead, your friendly neighborhood Nesbitt Realty real estate agent will account for the unique variables which make up your real estate's ideal price.